Immortals Fenyx Rising has something the gaming industry needs more of. Humor.

(spoiler-free game review)

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At first glance, Ubisoft’s latest game(Immortals Fenyx Rising) is merely a The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild clone. After spending considerable time exploring the lush and beautiful world of the Golden Isle, interacting with the Greek Mythology inspired characters and uncovering many secrets, I can tell you this game is so much more.

First of all, it’s funny. Like genuinely, laugh-out-loud, funny. I found this to be incredibly refreshing in a market dominated by doom and gloom apocalyptic shooters. It’s nice to play a game with all the polish you’d expect from a AAA Ubisoft title but with a more light-hearted approach. The majority of the exposition is delivered by Prometheus(narrator) and Zeus. Their back-and-fourth banter is educational, informative and humorous which is a hard balance to strike.

“…it’s funny. Like genuinely, laugh-out-loud, funny.”

Voice acting was mostly excellent with a large group of actors bringing life to the Gods and delivering their comedic angst with perfect timing. The voice of Typhon(main antagonist) proved to be slightly annoying and he would often start talking out-of-the-blue, interrupting whatever quest or treasure hunt Fenyx was currently undertaking.

Exploring the large open world was a treat and the map is packed with quests, epic treasure chests, secrets, puzzles and an assortment of challenges that never cease to engage. The colorful and vibrant graphics bring the Golden Isle to life and I often found myself climbing mountains and statues just to soak in the scenery. This game is truly beautiful and one of the few games, currently optimized, to take advantage of next-gen console hardware. During my playthrough, on a Xbox Series X, I was treated to long draw distances, smooth framerates and fast loading. All of which improved the overall experience and reduced any friction to exploring the map.

“…the map is packed with quests, epic treasure chests, secrets, puzzles and an assortment of challenges that never cease to engage.”

You play as Fenyx, a winged demi-god tasked to save the Gods from a curse. During your journey you unlock powers and upgrade skills by completing various tasks and collecting Coins of Charon. The progression flow feels natural and rewarding. Experimenting with different abilities, play-styles and gear load-outs was enjoyable and the game offered a nice balance of customization options without being overwhelming.

Combat is fairly straightforward with the player utilizing a combination of heavy axe strikes, light sword attacks and long-range bow shots. Combo’s can be achieved with the correct sequence of button pushes and the attacks can be paired/enhanced with Godly Powers, Blessings and Skills. Swooping into a mob, from above, and unleashing fury with your axe while simultaneously having your companion Phosphor attack with his Shockwave is very satisfying.

Much like the aforementioned Breath of the Wild you’ll encounter vaults(shrines) scattered across the world. These Vaults of Tartaros, as their called in Immortals, serve as elaborate dungeons full of puzzles and treasure. The puzzles, while varied, are easily solvable and sometimes tedious. Once you get the hang of the various play mechanics, solving the variety of brain teasers becomes more busy-work than engaging puzzle solving.

This is one of the few games that nails the rideable mount mechanics and makes them worth summoning. Often, in games that have mounts, the player presses a button to summon a horse(for example) and then the horse walks towards you. Press another button and you can ride the horse and that experience may or may not be fluid. In Immortals Fenyx Rising you simply hold the Y button and your mount appears as you jump up to catch a ride. It’s all one fluid motion and your off! Small tweaks like this make a world of difference to the overall experience and reflect a high-level of detail and polish.

“…one of the few games that nails the rideable mount mechanics and makes them worth summoning.”

Immortals Fenyx Rising is an excellent game and a solid recommendation. It’s a great choice for players looking to explore a beautiful open-world and have a laugh, while learning about Greek mythology.

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

– coe33

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• Media Format: Digital Download (Microsoft Store)
• Setup: Vizio 70″ 4K V-Series(V705-H) Television, JBL 9.1 Dolby Atmos Soundbar with Subwoofer, Xbox Series X
• Question: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild vs. Immortals Fenyx Rising – Which game do you prefer? Cast your vote on the poll below!

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• This game(Immortals Fenyx Rising) was purchased with my(coe33’s) own money and has not been influenced by Ubisoft or any other parties.
• Screenshots are all original screenshots taken from my play-through on a Xbox Series X.
• At the time of publishing this review I logged in 39 hours of gameplay.
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